The Irish Standard

GLADSTONE'S BIRTHDAY

Last Monday was the 81st birthday of Gladstone and the event was celebrated with quiet rejoicings at Hawarden Castle, the county seat of the aged statesman. Congratulatory messages were received from all parts of Great Britain and several from America, but there is no mention of any from Ireland. A special feature of the occasion was the unveiling of a memorial fountain erected by his admiring friends and neighbors to commemorate his golden wedding. At the unveiling of the fountain the Grand Old Man made a speech, in the course of which he said that after fifty years' residence in Hawarden he was greatly attached to the place and would reside there for the rest of his life. Not a word had he to say about Home Rule; and though we are told that his health was excellent it is evident that he was depressed in spirits and much discouraged or he would have touched on his favorite theme. We are of the number who have always believed that Gladstone intended to grant self government to Ireland in the event of the success of his party in the approaching general election. We think that Gladstone realizes that it is extremely doubtful whether he could get into power at the next election by any further advocacy of Home Rule for Ireland. The friends of Home Rule on the British Islands have been completely demoralized within the past few weeks. Parnell, we fear, has given Home Rule a setback in this generation. It will take many a long day before the friends of Ireland in America will contribute as in the past to help the Irish party. They are utterly disgusted and disheartened, and they will become more so if Irish dissension continue. They have began to lose faith in the patriotism of the Irish party. That party had no business to re-elect Parnell as their leader, after being thoroughly acquainted with his misconduct, and then depose him a few days afterwards when Englishmen objected to him on the score of immorality. As soon as they were convinced of his disgrace they ought to have requested his resignation as leader instead of paying him exalted compliments which he did not deserve. They ought to remember that there is a virtuous Irish race that would not sustain them in their action. The very men who lauded Parnell to the skies at the Dublin meeting were the first to demand his resignation after the appearance of Gladstone's letter. Tim Healy has acted the most inconsistent of all, and no wonder he was roughly used at the hands of a Dublin mob. What surprises us, too, is that the Protestant members of the Irish party objected more strongly against his continuance than the Catholic members, and that during the Kilkenny election a Catholic member furnished the American press with the most scurrilous abuse of the Catholic clergy who worked against Parnell's candidate. Tim Harrington came back from this country and told the Kilkenny electors that America was solidly for Parnell. He they got himself interviewed and condemned the action of the priests in exercising their rights. He did not object to Fathers Ryan and Fabey making speeches for Parnell. Such men as Harrington are not fit to represent Ireland in the British parliament or anywhere else. No wonder Gladstone made no reference to Ireland on the occasion of the anniversary of his birthday. As a correspondent of the New York Herald says: "It is all up with the Old Man, any way. There will be no more Irish alliances in our time. Parnell has smashed the machine."